Brewing Session IPA at home
Light but full of hop aroma.
Base recipe for 20 litres (5.3 gal), calculated with the Brauwerkstatt beer creator. With one click you can adapt it to your batch size, bitterness, colour or alcohol content.
Typical figures
| Alcohol | 3.8–4.8 % |
| Bitterness | 35–55 IBU |
| Colour | 8–14 EBC (4–7 SRM) |
| Carbonation | 5.0 g/l (2.5 vol) |
| Yeast | SafAle US-05 (top-fermenting) |
| Fermentation temperature | 18–20 °C (64–68 °F) |
| Brewing water | more sulphate than chloride (accentuates the hops) |
Recipe for 20 litres (5.3 gal)
- Original gravity: 10.2 °P (SG 1.041)
- 4.3 % vol
- 40 IBU
- 10 EBC (5.1 SRM)
- Final gravity: 2.1 °P (SG 1.008)
Grain bill
| Pale ale malt | 3.15 kg (6.94 lb) | 74 % |
| Light crystal malt (Carahell) | 429 g (15.1 oz) | 10 % |
| Carapils | 361 g (12.7 oz) | 8 % |
| Flaked oats | 334 g (11.8 oz) | 8 % |
Hops
| Magnum 13.0 % α | 9.2 g (0.32 oz) | 60 min |
| Citra 12.0 % α | 14 g (0.49 oz) | 10 min |
| Citra 12.0 % α | 40 g (1.41 oz) | Whirlpool |
| Citra | 60 g (2.12 oz) | Dry hops |
| Mosaic | 40 g (1.41 oz) | Dry hops |
Yeast
SafAle US-05: 10–16 g (0.35–0.56 oz) for 20 L (about 5.3 gal) (50–80 g/hl)
Mash schedule
68 °C (154 °F) · 60 min
Brewing water
| Mash water | 15.0 L (3.96 gal) |
| Sparge water | 14.0 L (3.70 gal) |
| Total water | 29.0 L (7.66 gal) |
Brewing steps
- Clean and sanitise everything that touches the wort after the boil.
- Measure out 29 L (about 7.7 gal) of water and treat it with the brewing-water calculator. For hoppy beers rather more sulphate than chloride (for example sulphate 150, chloride 60 mg/l).
- Split the water: mash water 15 L (about 4 gal), sparge water 14 L (about 3.7 gal).
- Heat the mash water to 71 °C (160 °F) and mash in 3.15 kg (6.9 lb) Pale ale malt, 0.43 kg (0.95 lb) Light crystal malt (Carahell), 0.36 kg (0.79 lb) Carapils and 0.33 kg (0.73 lb) Flaked oats (gives about 68 °C / 154 °F).
- Rest: 68 °C (154 °F), 60 min. Iodine test at the end: no blue colour = starch converted.
- Measure mash pH 10–15 min after mashing in (cool the sample to 20 °C / 68 °F). Target 5.4–5.5.
- Mash out: heat to 78 °C (172 °F) and hold for 10 min.
- Rest 10–20 min, lauter slowly and sparge with 14 L (about 3.7 gal) water at 78 °C (172 °F).
- Boil the wort for 60 min. At the start of the boil add 9.2 g (0.32 oz) Magnum.
- 10 min before the end of the boil add 14 g (0.49 oz) Citra.
- 10 min before the end of the boil add Irish moss (about 2 g / 0.07 oz, soaked beforehand).
- After the boil cool to about 80 °C (176 °F), add 40 g (1.4 oz) Citra, stir a whirlpool and steep for 20 min.
- Chill to 18 °C (64 °F), measure original gravity (target 10.2 °P), run 20 L (about 5.3 gal) into the fermenter, aerate well and pitch the SafAle US-05 (amount see yeast).
- Primary fermentation 7–10 days at 18–20 °C (64–68 °F).
- When fermentation is nearly finished: dry hop with 60 g (2.1 oz) Citra and 40 g (1.4 oz) Mosaic for 3–4 days. Dry hops add aroma but no bitterness.
- Measure final gravity (target about 2.1 °P). Priming sugar per bottle from the carbonation calculator (target 5 g/l), then bottle.
- Bottle-condition for 2 weeks at room temperature, then keep cool. Drink fresh – hop aroma fades over time.
Notes
Dry hops: 60 g (2.1 oz) Citra and 40 g (1.4 oz) Mosaic.
Created with the beer creator (brewhouse efficiency 70 %, final gravity about 2.1 °P).